1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention described herein generally relate to a wiper assembly and in particular, relate to a wiper assembly that performs wiping action by determining the presence of the tool to be wiped. The wiper assembly of the present invention presents a wiping and a non-wiping configuration by detecting the directional movement of the applicator.
Wiper member of the present invention can be employed in application of various products, such as for viscous cosmetics, mascara, eye liner, lip gloss, coloring strands of hair and like products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical packaging and applicator devices include a tubular container having a cap and in the cap is integrated a stem containing the applicator at its distal end thereby allowing the cap to serve as a handle to hold the applicator as well. Such devices generally also include a wiper element situated at the neck of the container that helps in removing the excess product on the applicator and/or stem when the applicator is withdrawn from the interior reservoir of the container. Further, the wiper element is generally made to be elastic in nature.
The aperture of the wiper element is kept less than the cross section of the applicator element and the wiper thus removes or wipes off the excess product from the applicator element as the applicator is being moved out from the container. However, the cross section of the applicator stem is usually smaller than the wiper orifice so as to ease the removal of the applicator from the container. This results in the applicator stem carrying a coating of product over its length and the periphery when being removed for usage.
In use, the user seldom applies the entire product carried on or within the confines of the applicator for example in mascara brushes, there remains a large density of product in the typical twisted-in-wire brush. Therefore, with every removal and reentry of the applicator through the wiper, there is a buildup of residue on the outer side of the wiper, that is, a reverse wiping action occurs during the return movement of the applicator that transfers the residual product from the applicator to the wiper. With frequent usage, an undesirable quantity of product collects at the entrance area of the wiper element which gets transferred onto the applicator stem with each application. This condition is messy and may cause smearing on the face, hands, or hair of the user.
In recent years several modifications have been done to overcome such limitations. U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,265 discloses a uni-directional wiper that wipes in one direction i.e. it allows for the wiping when the applicator is withdrawn and does not wipe when the applicator is put back. The disclosed wiper comprises two or more flaps capable of occupying a first scraping position, when the applicator is withdrawn from the container, and a second non-scraping position, when the applicator is returned to the container. The wiper comprises a housing and two or more flaps are connected to the wiping end of the housing wherein each flap is connected to the housing by a living-hinge. The hinge allows the flaps to occupy a first scraping position and a second non-scraping position. In the non-scraping position, the flaps pivot about a hinge and allow the applicator to pass. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,972 to Dirksing discloses a dual wiper mechanism including a primary wiper element and a secondary wiper element. It discloses that the primary wiper ensures that no significant tail is left on the end of the stem as the applicator is removed from the container while the secondary wiper provides wiping of the stem.
However, these wipers comprise two parts which may result in the loss of integrity of the wiper whereas a single component wiper would have better wiping efficiency. Further, a single component would give a 360 degree unbroken surface for wiping.
There are also known certain wipers having fingers at the lower end thereof, however, the fingers wipe the tip of the applicator so as to prevent blobs at the applicator end. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,334 to Fordham describes a wiper unit for a cosmetics applicator. Herein the wiper unit is provided with the resilient fingers at an obtuse angle to the axis of its orifice, and occupying at most 50% of the orifice area. The wiper device is thereby able to remove any adherent amount of material from the free end of a material applicator as it is withdrawn through the wiper device. However, the disclosed wiper fingers act when the applicator is put back in the container as well as when the applicator is taken out of the container and there is still a build up of residue on every removal and re-entry of the applicator through the wiper device. Therefore, the wiper is not able to address the reverse wiping problem.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,584 by Geka Manufacturing Limited discloses a wiper with fingers which bear against an applicator rod, the rod tapering towards a stop present at the end of the rod. As the applicator is withdrawn from the container as the tapered portion passes the wiper fingers they relax until their ends contact the stop which inverts them as it passes, the fingers remaining inturned until the applicator passes them when they will revert to their relaxed state removing any blob of cosmetic from the end of the applicator. However in this case, although the wiper fingers get inturned, they help in removing the blob of product from rod end, but it still leads to transfer of product from the applicator to the wiper. This, therefore is not able to address the reverse wiping problem.
Therefore it becomes apparent from the above discussion that there exists a need for a wiper member that helps in reducing and/or eliminating the reverse wiping condition. It would also be desirable if there is provided a wiper member allowing much more efficient and precise wiping of the residue and excess product from the applicator.